Description
This recipe presents Korean Spinach Salad in two delicious ways: a Classic Sesame Dressing and a spicy Gochujang Dressing. Featuring fresh blanched spinach tossed in flavorful dressings made with sesame oil, soy sauce, and garlic, these salads deliver vibrant, healthy, and easy-to-make side dishes perfect for any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Salad:
- 10 oz fresh spinach (about 280g)
Classic Sesame Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt to taste
Spicy Gochujang Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Blanch the Spinach: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the fresh spinach and blanch for 1 to 2 minutes until the leaves are wilted but still retain their vibrant green color.
- Cool and Drain: Use a slotted spoon to remove the spinach from the boiling water and transfer it to a colander. Rinse thoroughly under cold water to stop the cooking process and drain well. Gently squeeze out any excess water without bruising the leaves.
- Prepare Classic Sesame Dressing: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, minced garlic, sugar, and salt until the ingredients are well combined.
- Prepare Spicy Gochujang Dressing: In a separate bowl, combine sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, gochujang, minced garlic, sugar, and salt. Whisk the mixture until it is smooth and evenly blended.
- Toss the Spinach with Dressings: Divide the blanched spinach into two equal portions. Add the Classic Sesame Dressing to one portion and the Spicy Gochujang Dressing to the other. Toss each gently until the spinach is thoroughly coated with the respective dressing.
- Serve: Plate each salad separately. Optionally, garnish with extra sesame seeds or a sprinkle of chopped green onions for additional flavor and presentation.
- Make Ahead Tip: You can blanch the spinach a day ahead and store it refrigerated, then prepare the dressings and toss when ready to serve.
- Adjust Spiciness: Modify the amount of gochujang in the spicy dressing according to your heat preference.
- Optional Additions: For extra texture and freshness, consider adding sliced cucumbers or radishes as toppings before serving.
Notes
- Blanching spinach preserves its vibrant green color and tender texture.
- Gently squeezing the spinach prevents watery salad and enhances flavor absorption.
- If you prefer less spice, reduce the gochujang or omit it altogether for a mild version.
- Stored properly, blanched spinach can last up to 24 hours refrigerated before dressing.
- Feel free to customize the salad by adding crunchy vegetables such as cucumbers or radishes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Blanching, Tossing
- Cuisine: Korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (half the recipe)
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: Korean spinach salad, sesame spinach salad, gochujang spinach, Korean side dish, healthy spinach recipe, easy Korean salad
